GamePro Review: Burnout Paradise 5.0/5.0 (PS3/360 Review)

Think the rush of triple-A titles is over? Think again: Burnout Paradise is a bona fide winner and it just might be the best action racing game ever created! Get Your Motor Running: The Next Burnout Truly Is Paradise.

PROS:

-The open-ended world offers up a lot of possibilities. -The crashes, a series hallmark, are just as impressive as they were in past installments. -The sensation of speed is ridiculous. You better have nerves of steel if you want to survive this ride. -The transition to online play is transparent and seamless, which is a really nice touch.

CONS: -Just like in real life, navigating through the huge city can be intimidating. -The learning curve is far steeper this time around. You will spend some time getting acclimated to the game. -An instantaneous "restart" option would have definitely come in handy.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Chris Morell played both the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions and found no discernible differences in gameplay, so the scores and review stands for both versions. We are going to investigate if there are any differences in terms of framerates and visual quality and will report back if we find anything.

Didn't Criterion explain to everyone why there is no restart race feature in the game?? They wanted absolutely NO load times. Why does every reviewer keep complaining about it like it was an omission on Criterion's part.

"Chris Morell played both the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions and found no discernible differences in gameplay, so the scores and review stands for both versions. We are going to investigate if there are any differences in terms of framerates and visual quality and will report back if we find anything."

This has been a great series for driving fans (like myself), with entertaining gameplay and hours of fun from each edition. I haven't enjoyed the soundtracks much, though, so I hope Criterion put something in this game to listen to. Nevertheless, can't wait to pick this one up and play online. See you there!